Synergy Bias: Conglomerates and Promotion in the News

The "church-state" division between the editorial and business departments of a news organization is threatened by corporations who promote cooperation (or "synergy") between and among divisions. A content analysis tested the research questions that the influence of parent companies on news content might produce an increase in the quantity and quality of company-related materials mentioned on the news, especially in larger, more diversified, and more integrated firms. Such effects were found for total stories run and for tone. Topic-based effects were minimal, and play-order effects were not found.